Tsukuba Challenge:
An Open Experiment of
One Kilometer Autonomous Navigation
by Many Mobile Robots
in Usual Living Environment in Tsukuba City
ICMA (Aug 9th, 2011)
Shin’ichi YUTA
Professor, University of Tsukuba
Tsukuba Challenge
-- Real world Robot Challenge
in Tsukuba City
Purpose:
Stimulation in the Real World Robot
Technology
Getting a Proper Understanding by Usual
People on the “State of the Arts” in Robot
Technology
Organized and Operated by
New Technology Foundation (NTF), and
Tsukuba City (Local Government)
Movies Clips
from Tsukuba Challenge 2010
Science News by JST:Trial Days
Tsukuba Challenge2010 JST実験走行
Science News by JST:Final
Tsukuba Challenge2010JST本走行
TV News by FNN
TsukubaChallenge2010-FNN
Challenge of
Integrated Robotic Systems
in Concrete Real World
Mission Oriented Approach for Robust Robotic
System Technologies
Importance of Experience in Real World
DARPA operation
Grand Challenge 2003-2005
URBAN Challenge 2007
Various Robot Contests
RoboCup
Micro Mouse
Mission of
Tsukuba Challenge
for Robots
Autonomous run of 1km on the street for
pedestrians
Environment should be as they are (no
artificial change)
No special treatment for the surface of the
street
No postponed in case of rain
There may be pedestrians or bicycles
Route of Tsukuba Challenge2010
Total Distance:１１２０ｍ
•Course：Tsukuba City
Pedestrian Street next to Tsukuba Central Park +
Tsukuba Central Park + Side Walk of Bus Street +
Tsukuba Center Plaza
•Start: Tsukuba Expo Center, Entrance Square
•Goal: Tsukuba Science Information Center ( Inside of a Building)
Tsukuba Challenge
Real World Robot Challenge (RWRC)
Not a “Competition” No Order
Define a Common Mission
and Share the Place of Real World
Experiment
Disclose Technical Information and Share
Experiences
No Prize!
http://www.ntf.or.jp/challenge/
Real World Robot Challenge （RWRC）
Balanced Design and Implementation of
Hardware and Software for Real Problems
Real World:
Physically
Socially
No Excuse can be Made when Failure
Bridge between Advanced Technologies
and Practical Applications
Tsukuba Challenge - Mission
Compatibility with Society
For the Robots Work with the People Living in
the Same Environment, Robot Should
Never Harm People
Never Give a Feeling of Frightened or
Discomfort
Never Give a Damage on Any Object in
Environment
Not Disturb People nor be Obstructive for
the Working Object in Environment
Tsukuba Challenge - Mission
Autonomy of the Robot
For Autonomy, Robot Should
Have all Functions as Energy Source or
Information Processing in the Body,
ie. Self-Contained
Be Prepared all Necessary Hardware,
Software and Environment Information
to Complete the Mission
Tsukuba Challenge - Mission
Environment
Environment should be, as they are
No special treatment for the surface of the street
No postponed even in case of rain
There may be pedestrians and bicycles
Environment depends on the Weather
SurfaceCondition of the Roads Depends on the
Weather of the Previous Days,
Water pool or Fallen Leaves May Remain on the
Road
Environment may also Depend on Social Conditions
Any Objects Originally Existing in the Environment May be
Used as a Guide for Navigation, But not Artificial Change can
be Made or added on the Environment.
Technologies
for Completing the Task
Wide Range of Possibilities / Strategy
Total Design / Element Selection
Imagination to the Possible Situation
Interface with People
Test and Design / Development Cycle
Technologies (Hardware)
Vehicle Mechanism
Wheel / Track
Suspension
PWS / Steering
Battery / Power Management
Motors / Drivers
Sensors
Odometry
IMS / Gyro / Accelometor
GPS
Vision Camera / Lidar (Sokuiki Sensor)
Single / Multiple / Scanning
Magnetic
Ultrasound / Audio
Technologies (Control)
Control Strategy
Detail Position Estimation / Road Following
Teaching Playback / Motion Design
Map
Measured / Self-made
Google / Provided by Local Government
Positioning
GPS
Land Marks
Selection
Motion Control
Collision Avoidance / Safety
Technologies (Development Environment)
Hardware / Software
Monitoring / Record
Online / Offline
Wired / Wireless
Simulation
Sensing / Decision / Motion
Tools
Operator Interface
Passing Over Other Robots
One of the most difficult
action:
Being passed safely is
more difficult
Preparations and Operation
by Organizer Side
Concept and Rules
Environment
To Use Public Street
Operation
Registration
Safety Management
Management of the Days of Trials and Final
Publicities
Permission for Using Public Street is Required
Route is a Public Pedestrian Street (not for
Motor Driven Vehicle)
This Street is governed by Tsukuba City, but,
Special Permission is Necessary from the
Police Office (!).
Permitted as a Robot Experiment on the Public
Road after Negotiations
Several Strict Conditions Given for the Safety
of Citizens
Conditions - for Using Public Road
Road can be Used Only at Appointed Days
Setting about 10 Official Trial Days
Put Signs of “Robot Experiment” for Citizen
Prepare Staffs in Charge of Controlling Traffic
of Pedestrians and Bicycle
Assign a Person in Charge of Safety
Management for Each Participating Team
Instructions for the Robot
For Safety and Compatibility with Society
Robot size less than 75cm (W), 120cm
(L),150cm(H)
Robot weight less than 100kg
Maximum speed 4km/h
Emergency stop switch
Accompanying operator for emergency when
the robot moves by power
Robot should be Designed in accordance
with environmental and ecological attention
Tsukuba Challenge 2010
Date: Nov.18(Thu.)-19(Fri.), 2010
Place: Tsukuba City
Route: 1km+ in
Pedestrian Street,
Side walk of Street,
Promenade in Citizen’s Park
Tsukuba Center Plaza
Start: Tsukuba Expo Center Entrance Square
Goal: Tsukuba Science Information Center
( Inside of a Building)
Route of Tsukuba Challenge2010
Total Distance:１１２０ｍ
•Course：Tsukuba City
Pedestrian Street next to Tsukuba Central Park +
Tsukuba Central Park + Side Walk of Bus Street +
Tsukuba Center Plaza
•Start: Tsukuba Expo Center, Entrance Square
•Goal: Tsukuba Science Information Center ( Inside of a Building)
Time Schedule of Tsukuba
Challenge2010
Registration for Participation ： June 30th
Kick-off Meeting ： July 24th
Open Experiments (8days = Sat. or Sunday）：
July 24th, Sept. 4th, Sept. 26th, Oct. 15th,
Nov. 6th, Nov. 14th, Nov. 16th, and Nov. 17th
Rally - Trial: Nov. 18th (Thu.)
Rally – Final: Nov. 19th (Fri.)
Tsukuba Challenge2010 Registrants
(Number of Participated Team)
Registration ６８
（incl. 59 Teams Cont. from TC2009)
Participation of Rally ６４
Teams Passing Trial ３１（＋１）
Succesfully Completed Mission ７
Participants in Tsukuba Challenge 2009
University 48
Research Labs. 4
Companies 2
Joint of Uni. & Company 6
Club or Circle 7
Personal 5
（Total 72）
Participants in Open Experiment Day (2010)
First 7/24 33
Second 9/4 33
Third 9/26 31
Fourth 10/15 47
Fifth 11/6 45
Sixth 11/14 43
Seventh 11/16 55
Eighth 11/17 66
Total Participants: 353
Open Experiments
for Development and
Test (8days)
Record of Tsukuba Challenge2010 Rally
ー Trial Run and Final Run
Trial Run 240m Section (Nov.18)
64 Robots Participated
25 Robots Passed in First Trial
6 Robots Passed in Second Trial
Only the Robots Passed the Trial Section
Qualified to Start Final
Final Run 1.1km (Nov.19)
32 Robots Started
7 Robots Completed
Tsukuba Challenge 2010
Teams and their Robots
ＣＡＲＴＩＳ Ｔｙｐｅ
Completed the mission Intelligent Systems Lab, UEC
Ｒ
Intelligent Robot La.b. Uni. Tsukuba Hitotsubo
Mech. Tech. Lab., Hitachi Sofara-T
Furo, Chiba Inst. Tech. Papyrus Ⅲ
Scuderia Frola AIST Marcus
Robotics Lab.,NAD Smart Dump IV
Fuji Soft Corp. and Uni. Tsukuba TUFS2010
Movies Clips
from Tsukuba Challenge 2010
Science News by JST:Trial Days
Tsukuba Challenge2010 JST実験走行
Science News by JST:Final
Tsukuba Challenge2010JST本走行
TV News by FNN
TsukubaChallenge2010-FNN
Records of Tsukuba Challenge 2007-2009
First (2007)
Registrant 33teams
Participants in Elimination Trial(100m)
27teams
Qualified 11teams
Run Completed 3teams
Second (2008)
Registrant 50teams
Participants in Elimination Trial(100m)
47teams
Qualified 22teams
Run Completed 1teams
Third (2009)
Registrant 72teams
Participants in Elimination Trial(100m)
66teams
Qualified 34teams
Run Completed 5teams
For Good and Effective Use
of Results and Experience
Publicity
Make Many People and Media have Interests
However, it is not a Event to Show
Request Disclosure of Information
Promotion of Special Articles in
Journal/Magazine
Have Symposium and OS in Conference
Encourage to make it Open in Source Level
For Sharing Information
Organized Sessions in
SICE-SI2007, SI2008, and
SI2009
Special Symposium for
Tsukuba Challenge
(January, Tokyo)
HP
http://www.robomedia.org/
challenge/
Lessons and Impression
from the View Point of Organizer
Many Participants and Robots
Many Audience without Effort in Publicity
Weather (not Controllable)
Real Time Broadcast in WEB
Attitude of Passers-by and Audience
（at Test Run Day and Final)
Big Support by Local Community
Structure for Keep Safety
(Short Range) Goal of Tsukuba Challenge
Realize a Mobile Robot Capable to Move in Any
Place of Pedestrian’s Street in Tsukuba City
Utilization of these Technologies in Real Problem
of the Society
As the Result, Get Understanding of the Meaning
of Robots
And then: Make it Easy to Test the Robots Motion
and Interaction with People in the Public Space
The Final Tsukuba Challenge (in the Current way)
will be held in Nov. 2011